🎂 A Birthday Party at Home, A to Z · Lesson 1 of 7
Planning: when, how many and what
Date, guest count, theme and budget.
Four decisions
| When | A weekend afternoon, 3–4 weeks ahead; avoid nap time for little ones |
|---|---|
| How many | Age + 1 is a classic rule; whole class if invites go out at school |
| Theme | Let your child choose: dinosaurs, space, unicorns, sports |
| Budget | Decide the total first, then split it |
A sample budget for 10 kids
- Food and drinks: about 35%
- Cake: about 15%
- Decorations: about 15%
- Goody bags: about 20%
- Games and prizes: about 15%
The timeline
4 weeks before: date and guest list. 3 weeks: invitations. 2 weeks: plan games and food. 1 week: shopping list and RSVPs. The day before: decorate and bake. The day: relax and enjoy.
Tip
💡 Ask another adult to help on the day. One adult for every 5–6 young kids keeps things calm.
✏️ Practice: your turn
- Choose a date and time with your child
- Make the guest list
- Pick the theme together
- Write a budget with the five categories
🧠 Quick quiz
Answer all 4 questions correctly to mark this lesson as done.
0 of 4 correct
All lessons in A Birthday Party at Home, A to Z
- 🗓️ 1. Planning: when, how many and whatDate, guest count, theme and budget
- 💌 2. Invitations and RSVPsA nice invitation and an easy way to RSVP
- ⏰ 3. The party scheduleWelcome, games, cake and goodbye
- 🎈 4. Games and activitiesGames by age, plus one main activity
- 🍰 5. Food and cakeWhat to serve, how much, and a homemade cake that looks amazing
- 🎊 6. Helpers, decorations and goody bagsA shared to-do list, decorations on a budget and goody bags
- 💐 7. After the partyThank-yous, photos, and notes for next time